It took only one trip to the mall to show Megan Grassell what was wrong with the bra industry. And 10 months of hard work to figure out how to change it.

Today, the 18-year-old high school senior from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is the founder of Yellowberry, an underwear company that’s making wholesome, age-appropriate bras for girls aged 11-15.

That’s the sort of thing Megan couldn’t find a year ago when she took her kid sister Mary Margaret, then 13, shopping for her first bra.

“It was an awkward moment for her, but a chance for me to show off my sisterly knowledge,” Megan wrote in the Kickstarter pitch that helped get Yellowberry off the ground.

“I couldn’t believe the bras that she was supposed to buy,” she added. “The choices for her, and for all girls her age, were simply appalling to me. They were all padded, push-up and sexual. Not only that, they did not fit her body properly, which automatically made me wonder ‘Where were the young, cute and realistic bras for girls?’ There were none!”

That ‘Eureka!’ moment was the spark that created Yellowberry — and may have ripple effects throughout the teen lingerie world, which has been the target of significant consumer activism in recent years.

“It was literally like an epiphany,” Megan told Lingerie Talk this week. “I was holding a bra in my hands and I just said, ‘This is not okay. I’m going to make bras for girls.'”

Yellowberry is as much a movement as it is a bra company, using its marketing and merchandising platform to fight back against the hyper-sexualized commercial environment that adolescent girls face every day. Fans are called “Berries” and the company’s motto — “Changing the bra industry for young girls” — boldly challenges the status quo.

“Yellowberry will be different because at the core of the company what we want to do is sell a bra in a non-sexy way,” Megan said. “In lingerie, that’s a new idea.”

“For those girls aged 11 to 15 the options they have to buy are for the most part overly sexual. They need a different bra that doesn’t scream ‘sex’.

“You shouldn’t have to buy a sequined push-up bra when you’re 13. You shouldn’t have to feel pressured to look a certain way.”

Megan (right) and Mary Margaret Grassell

Yellowberry is already on the market, with a professional website and online shop selling two youth bra styles in four colors, with cute names like ‘Tweetheart’ and ‘Tiny Teton’ for about $40. The cotton-spandex pieces are soft and metal-free, designed to provide a comfortable transition between children’s undershirts and the style-driven world of molded cups and T-shirt bras that lies ahead.

“Yellowberry gives girls the idea that they don’t have to grow up so quickly,” Megan said.

“We’re not saying what’s right or wrong. It’s not my right to tell someone what’s appropriate or not,” she added. “I just want everyone to have another option.”

The Yellowberry name is a symbol of the need to nurture adolescent girls during a critical and challenging time in their development.

“Think about a berry before you pick it,” Megan said. “It’s still yellow. It’s not yet ripe. It has to go through certain stages until it is ripe. And you can’t rush those stages because they are what will eventually create a beautiful berry.”

Megan had no experience in business or fashion when she came up with the concept for Yellowberry, but that didn’t stop her.

She worked with a seamstress in Jackson Hole to develop prototypes, sourced a manufacturer in Los Angeles and spent months fit-testing samples with the help of local friends.

She had a gut feeling the concept would catch fire, but after the first four days of her Kickstarter campaign, Yellowberry had received only $2,000 in donations and little attention. Undaunted, Megan reached out to Facebook groups, companies and online groups that promoted causes aimed at empowering young women.

Then, however, schoolwork intervened and Megan headed to Guatemala for a week-long class trip, a journey that left her without internet access for a full day.

When the students arrived at their Guatemala City hotel, Megan plugged in her computer, checked her Kickstarter campaign … and started crying. Yellowberry had gone viral overnight, and was already past its $25,000 funding goal.

More than 1,000 donors contributed to the campaign, many of them young girls — and their parents — who are enthusiastically supportive of the new company and its mission.

Part of Yellowberry‘s undeniable appeal is its authentic marketing (the company’s promotional photos use non-professional models) and the heartfelt values embodied in its mission statement.

Yellowberry espouses six ‘mantras’ that are printed on its hangtags, and which were written years ago following the tragic death at age 5 of Megan’s youngest sister Caroline, who fell from a moving float during a parade.

Those mantras, written by Caroline’s godparents as a tribute to the little girl’s bright spirit, encourage people to celebrate their youth in a loving and natural way… and not feel so rushed. ‘Water the flowers everyday’. ‘Watch quietly and observe’. ‘Find a hug when you need one’. ‘Go barefoot’. And finally, ‘Campfires are rare; eat as many marshmallows as you can’.

Megan has taken those truths and applied them to Yellowberry‘s business plan and its broader purpose of supporting young girls.

“Caroline is still powerful in my mind,” she writes in her biographical sketch on the Yellowberry website. “She taught me through both her life and her sudden death to slow down and enjoy each day as its own.

“These statements help reiterate the values behind my simple goal: build a bra that is unique, colorful and young made for all girls who love and enjoy their youthful, yellow stages in life.”

While her classmates look for summer jobs, Megan will be running Yellowberry full-time (with her mother, Lynn) until next spring when she heads to college in Vermont. The company is already working on future designs and hopes to offer underwear choices with its next collection.

In the meantime, she has a message for all those mall brands targeting pubescent girls with sparkly, padded push-up bras.

“Girls come in a lot of shapes and sizes, but the bras I seen when I go shopping all look the same,” Megan said. “They’re creating a false sense of variety. Not everything has to look so similar.”

341 Responses to “Yellowberry: Meet the Teen Titan Who Is Taking On The Youth Bra Industry”

Not so sure where this young lady took her sister to shop but the “training” style bras are out there! So are the sports bras. My daughters didn’t have any problem finding age appropriate bras in the 1980’s or 1990’s. My teen grand daughters have been buying bras like this one for the past few years. When the dark color of the bra shows through the white blouse, it looks trashy. I don’t think most young ladies want to spend $40 on a bra. Margaret might want to lower the hemline of her skirt!

But frankly your snide comment about the young ladies skirt length was needless. And when I look at the photo, for one I don’t think for a young woman that is too short. And secondly, I believe they are shorts.

So, pick on a young entrepreneur? Classy. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of the attire photographed in this story — from the items for sale to the length of the shorts or skirts.
I think it’s great she found a niche and thankfully, so do countless others.

That’s not Margaret, that’s Megan the older sister, and owner of the company. And those are shorts. Regardless, it’s a good msg for young girls and one that is seriously lacking in our culture that is sex-saturated. So what if the bras are $40, the message is still great and needed in our society.

Gee, could you BE anymore negative? OMG!!!! This is a story of inspiration and triumph for young women, for entrepreneurialship, and you pick apart everything … you must be a sad, sad woman. Yes, training and sport bras ARE out there. This is different! These are FUN and USEFUL and not smash-em down, and not come hither, and not industrial. Really, really, look at yourself, and why you feel the need to cut down others.

Lorri, perhaps your old eyes have taken a turn for the worst. Margaret is wearing shorts! And with all do respect, your a Grandmother – times have changed and I, as a Mother of 3 teenage daughters can say I agree 100% in Megan and her product. There are so many inappropriate designs now being marketed to our teen girls! Why would anyone be against what Megan is doing? And Lorri, you old fart, the bright colors are to show you the colors they come in. Of course no one would actually wear a colored bra under a white shirt…unless you can’t see very well! Ahem!

Yeah, I totally agree. Hemline needs to be lowered if you’re trying to send any sort of message about not inciting lust. Skirts/shorts above the knees definitely affect the level of sexual attraction I feel when I’m around girls.

It’s hard to see why people are in such denial about that. It’s just a fact of life. Short shorts/skirts send sexual messages. If you think that’s okay to broadcast that to guys, you’re free to shorten your skirt as much as you like. But don’t try to play innocent, lol. Get on 4chan or any adult message board. You’ll see plenty of requests for short skirts.

Training bras often are designed for pre-pubescent breasts, and sports bras can be too tight or restricting for every day wear. These two options are not appropriate for the wide variety of breast sizes and shapes that exist in young adolescent girls who are a bit too young for traditional bras but have out grown training bras. This provides additional options for that in between area. It’s sad and bit frightening that you think training bras are the best option.

My experience with training bras was a flimsy piece of fabric that only worked until I “blossomed” quite quickly. After that my options were a training bra that exposed me to the world or to move onto overtly sexual underwear. Which frankly as a 13 year old with breasts it was hard enough with the mean girls in the change-room who hadn’t started growing breasts, once you’re only option is lacey or push up bras they get meaner. Thats why girls need these. While they look like training bras/ sports bras THESE ARE NOT TRAINING OR SPORTS BRAS. This an AGE APPROPRIATE support bra for young ladies who have started growing breasts.

I am not sure where you are, but I live in the Deep South. It is very hard to find bras that are appropriate for young girls here. You do see a lot of push up and padded bras with all sorts of designs and sequins on them, and there are “sexy” underwear to match. It’s time someone introduces non-sexy lingerie and makes it a popular thing again.

Your momma apparently did not teach you manners because it’s not nice to say anything if you don’t have anything nice to say so perhaps you should look in the mirror before an obviously aged woman calls a young entrepreneur “trashy.”

Lorrie, I do not understand why you are hating on someone who saw a need, and delivered. Apparently people think that her product is awesome, because she got backers, and has a clientele. Not many girls want to wear a sports bra as a regular bra. They are made to be constricting. As far as the colored bra, white shirt comment; I am sure that she has white options too. She probably elected to use the colored ones in the photos, because that is what draws the eye and what teenage girls want! I thought it was very classy that she just had the girls holding the bras and not wearing them in the photo. Can’t even say that about the Sears or Penny’s catalog. I think it is great what she has done! Maybe it is just that it is a little out of your age of expertise, today’s teenager and all.

Just read my comment after it was looked at by the “moderator”, and I did not type that crap! “OMG!!” would never come out of my mouth, I am 33 years old! Please put my comment back the way I typed it! I said nothing rude. I thought YOUR comment was more rude. Fix it, or I will comment on FB where they do not censor my comments.

Doug…..her short length affects your level of sexual attraction? What the heck? That sounds like you have a problem not her attire. The only message her clothing is really giving is that she isn’t naked…these bras are a good idea and the fact they came from a girl with a short hemline should not matter any more than your ideas come from what sound like they come from a rapist mindset.

They think calling something a Tiny Teton is not sexualizing? I don’t get it. I mean I really don’t get it. I didn’t grow up thinking breasts were a landmark in my development. Then at 46 I had breast cancer and I “learned” it was all about saving the “TaTas” not saving my life. I’d be on board with idea if it really was about protecting young girls but it’s just another training bra that promotes the idea that girls are only meant to be full blown women.

Technically, Teton means “breast.” Breasts do not have to be sexual. As a breast cancer survivor, it sounds like you know that – and I’m sure any breastfeeding mama would agree. But breasts are the reason we wear bras, so I don’t see that it’s sending any sort of message to label something that contains breasts as…well…breasty.

This whole thing is bizzare. I have never been brassiere shopping with my daughters without finding plenty of functional, decent non-“hyper-sexualized” items on the shelf. This seems to be another case of an oversensitive person bringing a problem to a situation where it doesn’t exist.

What’s bizarre (and I truly do not mean that in a sarcastic tone), is that when I read the article, I was thinking, “Yeah! I feel the same way!” I am the opposite. I took my daughter bra shopping and it took us so long to find a bra that was age-appropriate for her size. Yes, when she first wore a bra, the training bra was perfect for her. But she is now 13 years old and would not even come close to being able to wear a training bra. Most of the bras that we find to fit her are padded, push-ups, etc., certainly not what I would EVER have my 13 year old wear. Yes, there are a few out there that I could buy her, but they are difficult to find. I guess, I say kudos to the big sister for being a good example by showing her younger sister that’s not what you want or need. Depends on how you look at it, I guess.

I don’t really understand it either, ‘age appropriate’ bras, which I’m assuming means no underwire and is basically a sports bra or training bra, can absolutely be found at any Target or Kohl’s. And when I first started reading this I thought to myself “Well what, did they only go to Victoria’s Secret?” but even that store has non padded bras. I’m pretty sure they’re the wear everywhere t-shirt bras. Unless they’re looking for a single cotton layer training bra, to which that isn’t even Victoria’s Secret’s demographic. I guess I just don’t see what all the hype is about.

Yep, I agree. It is possible that she can’t make them any cheaper for now because she doesn’t have the order #s to get bulk deals, but $40 is way too much for a bra. That’s getting into VS prices. I’m a grown woman and I wouldn’t even spend that on a bra unless it really fit me amazingly.

I think there are lots of young girls whose families can’t really afford to be spending that kind of money on such a product. If they were made more widely accessible via a lower price I think that would help out the cause a lot more. That’s just my 2cents though, I do like the idea behind the product. I really like that she made it about having an alternative option, not that her line has to be the only option.

To each their own how much they want to spend. I like Yoga, and Yoga Pants, but Lululemon is WAY out of my price range. Paying $90 for a pair of pants is not in my budget, but for others it may be. I don’t gripe about it though, or knock them for what they are doing. Too much for you, don’t buy. It’s simple!

These comments are incredible…and we wonder why young people aren’t as ambitious or motivated these days? This young lady went into the world, encountered a situation she didn’t like, and sought to change it– she is an entrepreneur! Yes, $40 may be pricey for a training bra but if you were just starting out your own company, you would likely charge a similar price after the costs of production/labor and profit. As a teenager she has already accomplished more in the real world than many of us do before we are 30– we should be giving her a pat on the back for channeling that girl power! In a world where nearly everything is over-sexualized at a young age, she has recognized this as a problem and is attempting a solution, however small. What have any of us done?

What a wonderful thing this young woman has accomplished! She is just 18 years old, and how many of us did anything that significant as a teen? I hope her company grows and expands into other items for young girls, including clothes that aren’t designed to be “sexy.” Young girls can be plenty attractive AND modest at the same time.

Can anyone see the big picture? This young lady saw something that she felt was a need… and obviously others did too. She raised $40k. She is a very young successful business woman. How awesome is that! She is an inspiration for many, being a young age and making such a huge line of new bras for young girls. And may I ask what dream have you invested in? I will support her!

Thank you! I cannot believe all the women who need to voice their negativity. This girl is not forcing her products on them, she is putting out another option for those who feel like they need one. So sad so many can’t just feel happy for others when they have success.

Way to go entrepreneur!!! You saw a mis in the market and you filled it! I wish these were in adult sizes too as I dislike all the adult bras out there myself. Underwire, lace, padding and frilly stuff. Simple basic no frills bras that FIT are HARD to find in the adult section!! I don’t care for the names of the bras.. those seem to not fit with her mission statement. I think her concept and product is fabulous! keep up the good work!! $40 is a very realistic price for a start up company. Way to go! I cheer for her, her vision, her business and showing others what it takes and how to do it! Fabulous!

I totally agree and am disgusted with the negative comments. She has seen a need in her world & sought to do something. The fact that she has achieved the funding she has means she is not the only one who thinks the way she has. If you can’t encourage then accept its not for you & say nothing. We need more courageous people who will stand up & seek to make a positive difference in the world. Whether you succeed or fail isn’t the point, you’ve had a go & REALLY lived.

I think the main value in what she’s doing is the marketing pitch. It’s about time that someone found a way to have age-appropriate underwear models for young girls.

But it would be good if she took into account that there are a lot of 13-year-old girls who need this sort of message, but simply can’t wear an unpadded, wireless bra. I mean, her sister might have bought her first bra at age 13, but I know plenty of girls who were already a D-cup at that age. Just because some girls develop physically at a young age doesn’t mean they’re ready to be thrust into the “big girl” world and their peers aren’t. How about some cute, little girl bras in bigger sizes?

The saddest part of all this is the assumption that anyone, even large breasted young girls or women, need to be wearing push up wired bras in order to fit in our crazy world. There is plenty of evidence out there that breast cancer is at least partly caused by wearing bras that cut off lymph supply to the breast area — underwires and push ups being the worst culprits. As a large breasted older women I understand that in our culture it is uncomfortable to be bra less and so I am endlessly on the search for comfortable bras that will hold me up enough to make other people comfortable ( oh the irony) but which don’t cut off circulation and put me at high risk.
We all need many many more options of how to be with our breasts other than push up bras that make us look like that ten minutes in life where breasts were intended to be perky indicators of arriving fertility! So I am delighted if anyone creates variation in the choices young girls have and hope it will lead toward more choices for grown women as well. I have found only one wire free bra that looks attractive and is comfortable and I shudder to think of the day they stop making it!!

Id like to see you try to make and market a more affordable bra made in North America and not overseas. How many bras do you think a teen would need before they out grew them, really. If you can’t afford a $40 bra for your kid then maybe you should have thought twice before having kids.

I agree 100%. I won’t pay that price for mine either. I do feel it is over priced considering some girls grow very fast and may get little wear out of it before needed to get a bigger size. I myself was a C cup when I was 13. I am not attacking the creator, good for her for trying to make more modest bras for young girls. Now for the comment saying if you can’t afford $40 for a bra for a child, they shouldn’t have kids, that was uncalled for.

Some of these comments are apalling, we should be celebrating this young girl for being creative enough to tackle such a daunting task of starting a business. The mantra here is inspiring as a mother you are given an opportunity to remind your daughters via the mantras that sex can wait and you can tell them this in a way that does not embarrass them but perhaps empower them. Lack of inventory can certainly be the result of where one lives but some of these comments are missing the point, support woman and show your girls you are never to young to succesed a $40 purchase may go further than your words especially with girls experiencing puberty.

There is a need in the bra market outside of VS and not just for teens. I used to be able to find pretty or plain everyday bras at dept stores and VS was a treat only because they were so much more expensive but still lovely well fitting bras. Now the dept stores only carry sad attempts because I guess the model is to have a lingerie dept and VS only sells push-up bras that aren’t well made.

She is 100% correct about the inappropriate undergarments made for teens these days. I too have had a nightmare of a time buying age appropriate bras and panties for my 14 year old daughter. Why do retailers stock this crap? This age group doesn’t need padded push up bras and thong laced underwear. They need cute but simple, properly fitting garments that do not have child like prints all over them. They do not need heavy push up padding and personally I think most can go without under wires too. If we would like a more modest youth then we have to let retailers know that the products they are pushing are inappropriate.

For a small, specialized business, and if the bras are made in America (not by some young southeast Asians locked in a garment factory), $40 is understandable, if it is a high-quality bra. Although it also seems pricey to me, I don’t think it is necessarily unreasonable. Demand will tell whether it is competitive or not. I would wonder how long many young women will be able to use the bras though, as they may grow out of them soon? In that case, clothing for children and youth often does seem pricey when you think about that factor.

As a thirty-something year old, I also get tired of some of the fashionable sports bra styles now. I just want a supportive, comfortable, nude-colored bra to wear under a white t-shirt. Instead, all the options I can find (living in a city of 10 million people, no less) are bright, almost fluorescent colors. (Also $50 dollars or more, by the way, if you’re buying from a company that does not manufacture the product in sweatshop conditions.) If some people want others to be able to see their bra color under their t-shirts, that’s their choice. Give the rest of us some representation too please! Maybe I should take Megan’s lead and start a new sports bra company for adult women. 😉

There’s a wonderful company called Decent Exposures which has been selling really comfy bras like this for ALL sizes of women, in many colors and styles, for many years. They are also more pricey, because they’re locally made in Washington, BUT they will make individual adjustments to fit you perfectly within 60 days for free, including strap length/width, cup size, girth, etc. so that you can figure out what’s perfect for you, then order that exact bra the next time. Still a high cost for a girl who’s rapidly growing (though I, too, have had no problem finding simple un-sexy bras for young teens at JC Penney), but a great investment for an adult woman! They also sell cotton underwear and a bunch of other stuff, and it’s well-made and lasts many years, in my experience.

Thats so cool that this company exists, but their bras do not look comfortable to me because they do not have enough support and look like they mash down larger breasts, and leave no cleavage. We should be able to have sexy bras that support but don’t constrict. Shouldn’t be that hard to design!

If I could say wow a million times I would and thank you! I just wish you would go even a little older for the look. My sixteen year old doesn’t need to be pushed towards the push up sexy line either. Sexy is for those who want to have sex and that is an adult. I’m ok with $20-40 if it is made well and holds up in the wash. Fashion with out it being sexy is sooooo great. Who wants a dumb boring one. Love that you covered all the bases.
Bashers are just that bashers. Way to see a problem and find a solution. I would like to see some light colors that can be worn under white shirts to school, uniforms shirts are so often white. So nude, yellow, baby pink and white would work. Its a great idea an I hope you are insanely successful. Count us in as a customer!

WOW – Lots of negativity – Yes there are LOTS of training bras our there – but they are cheaply made and uncomfortable to my daughters – it is a battle everyday to get my 11 year old to wear one. These are cute and look well made – Yes $40 is pricey, but if they are made in the USA I don’t mind it. I will try one out for her and if it holds up better then the $20 target bras then it will be well worth the money

My jaw dropped when the first comment I read was a negative poke. I read the article thinking ‘you go girl!!! America was built on dreamers who acted on those dreams.’ And the Tiny Tetons made me smile, yes it’s an inside joke to those of us who know and love the Wyoming mountains. As for the women making biting comments here… Go buy the bra you want your kid to wear. No one is making you buy this particular bra. Go start your own bra company if you want the right to name your bras how you see fit. Ask for a color you like if you hope to see it in a future Yellowberry bra…. Mention a design of another maker of bras if you like how it is built… But why, why take a poke at this young lady? Why make your point with harsh words? Should we also tell the woman who took off her corset, tossed away her petticoat, demanded her right to vote, stood up for reasonable work conditions, wanted a seat on a bus, wanted to attend college, wanted to be a CEO, wanted a comfortable bra for women made by a woman, wanted to work and not be called a bad mom, wanted to be president, wanted to make sexy bras for housewives, wanted to make not sexy bras for tweens…. Should we tell them all to sit down and behave. To be quiet and not offend you. To let the experts and real business people who pick the right colors, the right price tags, and wear their skirts at a proper length do the thinking… Or maybe we can cheer on a simple gutsy action by a young lady who asks absolutely nothing from us.

As a 12 year old girl with small breasts and a mother with moderately small breasts, I can say that it is probably one of the hardest things to find a bra my size. Yes, I know that some girls at my age have large breasts (my best friend does) but these are perfect for me! I have bought padded bras before and they always seem to bend in some awkward way. Thank you Megan!

Kudos Megan for dreaming and then making it a reality, and at 18 years old. The bras look adorable and will help many I’m sure. I know we have free speech in this country and I appreciate that but I make it a policy not to go around knocking everything that I don’t see a use for and others might. I leave individual decisions up to the buyer and don’t insert myself there. I’m all about encouraging people to use their lives to make a difference and you, Megan have done that! Happy and very proud of all you have accomplished.Best of luck with your venture!

One of the reasons we’ve added bras to my daughters’ wardrobes is because they’re shy about nipple show-through. It would be great if (some of?) the yellowberry bras had enough shield, fabric, or what have you to eliminate that particular definition through a summer-weight t-shirt. I haven’t seen them yet, but kudos to the young woman and her family for kindness to one another, and doing what they can to promote age-appropriate passage through puberty.

HUZZAH! Well done to the girls behind Yellowberries! This is a fantastic message, and I’m delighted it’s not some stuffy philosophic sorts beating people over the head with their morals, but the girls themselves saying, “No, I don’t want that.” YES!! I wish these had been around when I was thirteen. The scratchy polyester monstrosities I had to wear were awful. Please, can Yellowberries make bras for older women who don’t want the dreadful sorts of bras we have to choose from? I’d love a non-polyester, soft t-shirt cotton bra with no metal. Please.

This is great, my girls are 14 and 15, and although Walmart does sell a small selection, most of their shopping has ended up at laSenza or similar store, long gone are the training bras of the ’80’s, even stuff from the ’90’s isn’t around anymore…good job to her, hope it does well

I thought the days of ‘coloured bra/white blouse is trashy’ were long over (like 30 years ago?) That poor woman. Everything that clicked off her keyboard was negative. What is your problem anyway, Lorri?

“Teen lingerie world”. ??? Do teens really need lingerie? How about just calling it plain old “underwear” like bras and panties were called before everything went uber-sexual? Kudos to you, Kiddo, for doing this!

I really like the idea.. I’m 19 now so I can’t wear those unfortunately (lol) but if these would have been around when I was 11-15 I would have wore them. The bras I had to wear in my early teens were very unfitting for girls to wear. I felt like everyone was staring at my chest because it was being pushed up three sizes bigger than what my chest really was. not only that, but they wiring in the bras pushed into my chest and it caused major pain for me. I couldn’t really start wearing appropriate and comfortable bras until I was in women’s sizes.. And even still I hate most of the bras women have to wear. There are bras around for grown women that also don’t look over sexual.. but if you ever become big enough to expand, I’d love to see a bit of product for grown women too! Because not all women want to have their chests stared at too with those uncomfortable bras! I love the idea and I’d totally be a customer if I was the appropriate age! xD haha

I just checked out the website for this awesome company… and (at 38 years old) I fit into the sizing for these bras! If I remember right, band size 28-36 inches, cup size A-C, and weight 60-150 lbs. These are going on my wish list, Easter basket list, Birthday list, Christmas list… I am so excited!

I do believe it is a great initiative. From the conception of the idea to the marketing detalils, it is an impressive campaign! Now, about the negative comments in this page, come on, not everyone has to agree, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

I don’t think Yellowberry was started bacause there were there were no appropriate bra choices for young teens but rather there were not enough. I agree. My daughter is 13 and it can definitely be a challenge. I’m glad for more choices and I’m glad for a young girl who not only realizes the problem but has the intelligence and drive to do something about it. Good for her.

The company “Title Nine” also has a great selection of bras (not only sports bras) for all sizes – with many choices for smaller cup sizes. I think “tiny teton” is an wonderfully clever name for a bra made in Jackson Hole (adjacent to the Grand Tetons) that is targeted to young women with smaller cup sizes. Title Nine also has some cute names for their bras, like the “booby trap” and the “IBTC bra” (as they say, guess that acronym).

More power to this young woman. I’ll be in the market for these products in a couple of years as my 10 year old matures.

Here’s a great idea. How about we teach people that thighs and shoulders are not sexual body parts? How about we stop telling girls to cover up more and tell everyone else to stop teaching their kids what makes a girl “nasty” or whatever for “provoking” wandering eyes. Society teaches those eyes to wander.

I am a guy and a very naive one at that. I don’t really understand the details of bra shopping, commercials, etc. But I felt the need to comment because I wanted to encourage the young woman who started this endeavor. Unlike most people, when she saw a problem she didn’t sit back, complain and move on with her life. She didn’t start shouting at others, attacking other companies and starting ad campaigns that can potentially damage the self-image of growing girls like my peers who I talk to and help every day. Instead she did the smart thing-addressed the problem she saw with a solution, and did it in a tasteful manner that at its core is about GIVING PEOPLE OPTIONS, which is arguably the greatest thing you can do. We should stop yelling at people and telling them what to do. That just creates more insecurities and ends up with many broken hearts. Instead we should encourage others to make their own decision by offering many options so that each person-boy or girl, young or old-can display their uniqueness in the choices they make about what they wear, where the live and what they do for a living.

Well done! You are an encouragement to the many that think like me, and you can continue to change the world! Keep up the good fight! Ignore those who criticize you but are too scared to stand up and act for what they believe in. You have a heart, you have a cause, you have the means…Keep changing the world, one life at a time.

Great idea, great product. When Starbucks came out I ‘imagine’ people thought you could get cheaper coffee elsewhere– and yet, (surprise!), it had quite a niche market for people who wanted to support that lifestyle and message. This is an inspirational young woman who has obviously had wonderful role models. I don’t think the measure of her product should be other bras which might be cheaper, uglier or not fit well, or even similar in good fit and style. Who cares? Move on, keep perspective. This is a new brand with a great marketing campaign promoting a healthy message and a sweet product! Spearheaded by a young woman’s ideas! Kudos!!!

I read a lot of comments on here that are less about what was written in the article and more about the hem length of her shorts.

Since I am a teen girl myself, I feel it is my duty to tell the adults here that most teen girls do not where shorts like that because they are ‘sexy’. They wear them because they love how they look. If you think such clothing is sexy, then the problem is with YOU, not them.

As for the bras… Yes, forty dollars is a lot of money, but I would have gladly begged my mom to pay it back when I was in training bras. It would have saved me many three hour shopping trips searching from bras that weren’t neon and sparkly.

Good for you Megan! Just follow your heart, your instincts are solid. As you can see, advancement in years does not always mean advancement in kindness or manners. But, it’s okay, there will always be nay-sayers. Don’t let it sway you. Don’t let it stop you!

To the nay-sayers. I don’t agree with you but defend your right to say it. This is America. This is the best of America. As Megan’s grandmother watching this I can only say, Way to go Megan. Good luck. She has always been a star. Alpine ski champion, rodeo queen, student body president, volunteer worker. And those are shorts in the pic with her and MM. She was greeting her sister while coming home from camp. This is a kind, strong, smart, girl with fantastic parents. I wish her luck and am thrilled with the future of our country with young adults of this caliber.

Megan, what a wonderful idea! I think one of the other commenters hit the nail on the head when she refered to “variety”. Sure, in some areas in some stores it might be possible to find a beginner’s bra for a young teen that is not over-sexual. However, the choices out there are limited. Megan’s line of bras seems like a positive way to give girls more choices and to imbue a little humor, a little fun and a little pride in who they are at their young stage in life. As for the comment someone made criticizing colors of the Yellow Berry bras as being too racy — who doesn’t like options? The colors and designs are fun and sporty. Even so, I agree that the line would probably do well to add some solid pale colors, white, beige, to be worn under lighter colored clothing.

As a petite adult in the teton department, it took me years to learn to like my body as it is. I would love to see a separate line of bras for adults, designed by Megan, with some additional positive messages. Many sports and cami bras are not that comfortable, and sports bras can be too crushing for everyday wear. But please, Megan, don’t let anyone get you to make a VS-type line of bras for adults. There are way too many racy choices already out there. Women could use more choices that focus on comfort… and we can even use some positive messages about body image well into adulthood.

Lastly, thank you for making these bras in the USA! Granted, $40 might be a little pricey for some, but given the chemical smell that comes off of many imported garments these days, it’s so nice being able to buy something that you know hasn’t been exposed to mystery chemicals, especially something that goes against delicate skin.

As a 13 year old girl, I totally get this. Unfortunately, I live in the UK, so buying these would be impractical.
There is one thing I do not understand. Is America completely devoid of training bras? When I started developing, at 9 or 10, my mother bought me some training bras in the first shop she went into in order to find said training bras. Oh well. But yes, thumbs up and top hats tipped to Yellowberry.

Where I live I could find many non-sexual bras at multiple stores and cheap (starting at $6.99).
What I mean by a non-sexual bra is: a basic color (not pink, black, or any other interesting color), a basic cut, no lace or any other decorations, lightly padded (nipple showing isn’t classy either), and with an underwire (for support). Just a plain ol’ t-shirt bra. And there are many non-sexual cheap wireless bras at the stores where I shop.

Not really seeing the demand for Megan’s product.
Not going to lie and act like her idea is something new when I see plenty of bras like hers and cheaper too.

Looking at the yellowberry bras I wonder why her customers even bother wearing a bra?